Out of the Shadows
by KileaRaven23
Summary: The gang meet Danni, an ordinary girl. Sparks fly betweetn Iggy and Danni. What happens when others get in the way? Better summary inside. Iggy and OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Out of the Shadows

**Summary:** Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Angel, and the Gasman have decided to spend a few weeks away from the city. They flee to the Catskills, near the city, and stumble upon Danni Fisher. Iggy and Danni form a relationship, but what happens when Nudge and the School want to interfere? Each have their own reasons and hopes for this budding couple.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the character, places, or things created by James Patterson. I do own Danni Fisher, the character and any reference to a REAL Danni Fisher is purely accidental and unintended.

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**Chapter One**

They had been flying for a while. The sun was starting to set and the air was becoming colder.

"I'm hungry," Angel said to Max. They hadn't eaten since that morning.

With a sigh Max nodded and descended. They had reached the Catskills, but every place they had flied over was occupied. Happy families or madly in love couples stopped the six transgenic kids from being happy themselves.

You see the six of them were born in a lab called the School. They were 98 human and 2 bird. That 2 made a huge difference. They could fly. That's right they had wings and they could use them.

Fang had had the brilliant idea to split up. Fang and the Gasman. Max and Angel. Iggy and Nudge.

Nudge guided Iggy by the belt loop since Iggy was blind. The brilliant scientist, if you can call them that, had the idea of creating better eyesight. Their guinea pig? That's right Iggy. The results? No, not amazing vision but blindness.

"Hey guys over here," Max called and Angel pointed to an unlit cabin. Are you thinking what they're thinking? That's right, break in and have a little R & R.

Meanwhile---

Danni had just taken a shower and pulled on her gray nightshirt and black night shorts, time for bed.

Her parents were getting a divorce they where in the city to make the final arrangements. This was going to be her father's house. They had lived in the city, but now her mother would live in the city and her father would live here and run a bookstore or something down at the town five miles away.

Danni, for the time being, was living in the cabin alone. She liked it; it was better then hearing the yells of her parents.

She sat on the couch and debated weather she should actually sleep or watch a little TV. If she was lucky some dumb preteen show would be on and she could make fun of it. A million laughs right there.

She crossed her legs and reached for the remote. With her hand on the remote she froze. The soft sound of a window opening was barely audible, but was there.

She slowly stood and placed the remote on the couch. Taking a deep breath she reminded herself that she had a brown belt in Karate. It was something.

Six figures filled into the room and seemed to freeze upon the sight of Danni. She flicked on the light to see three girls and three guys, all very, very shocked.

Her eyes adjusted fast enough to see what came next.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Danni stepped back quick enough to avoid a punch to the face, but not to avoid a kick to the stomach.

It was one of the guys. He had longish dark hair and a stare that could cut steel at the moment. Obviously he was venting and she just happened to be perfect to lash it out on. Well almost perfect besides the fact that _they_ were breaking into _her_ house. Small details.

"Fang! She's not an Eraser. We can't kill her," screamed the oldest girl.

Danni took the attackers name and placed it in the back of her mind. "Now, wait, who said anything about killing," she said. Work with one issue at a time. First live through the night then get the names down.

"No one," replied the girl.

Danni took another step back and went into a defensive stance. Always be prepared.

"So we broke into a house thinking it was empty, but its not?" said one of the guys who hadn't attack her and had one of the girls finger through his belt loop.

"Yeah. Now who are you?" Danni restrained from cursing.

"We're trying to find a place to sleep for the night and some food," said the oldest girl again.

Danni guessed that she was the leader. She nodded. "If you want there's food in the kitchen, help yourselves. That is if you promise not to slit my throat or inany other way hurt me."

Danni had a 'curse', so she put it. If she could she would help people in need out. This got in the way of her tough rebel personality. She wasn't a poser it was just who she was.

The leader nodded to the rest of the group and they made their way to the kitchen.

"I'm Max," she didn't extend her hand.

"Danni," also not extending her hand.

"Um, thanks. For the food, I mean," she looked uncomfortable.

"Listen, about the place to stay for the night you guys can stay here. My parents are gone."

Max nodded, "Thanks… again." She didn't ask where Danni's parents where. Max was big on respecting privacy.

Both girls made their way over to the kitchen. It was getting messy in there.

Max pointed to the guy who attacked Danni, "That's Fang. That's Angel," she turned her finger to a six year old girl with blond curls who looked innocent on the surface. Lucky for Danni she knew that look, she had it, and it could easily turn into fierce determination.

Then she pointed to the other older boy, "That would be Iggy and the other boy would be the Gasman," she turned to the seven year old boy. Next was the girl who earlier had a finger hooked into Iggy's belt loop, "That's Nudge she's twelve. Fang, Iggy, and I are fourteen."

Danni nodded a greeting to all of them and said hi to Iggy. She sensed that he couldn't see by his earlier comment. It turned out that she was right.

Later that Night---

All of the intruders were sleeping. Danni slipped out the back door. She liked the night. She liked the stars in the sky. Not because she thought they were romantic, but because they made her feel free. She could get lost in their pattern and forget all her problems. She rarely got to see the stars in the city and loved seeing them whenever she came to the cabin.

She walked over the wooden deck to the bench that was a few yards away. She lay down and stared up.

Bang, someone knocked into the door. Three guesses on who it was. Iggy, Iggy, and Iggy?

"What do you want?" Danni asked. It was late and even though she usually hated being disturbed while looking at the stars she didn't mind this time.

"Just to talk," Iggy replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Talk, huh?_ Fine_, Danni thought, _I'll play along_.

She stood up and walked over to Iggy who had closed the door behind him.

"Want to sit?" she asked.

He nodded. Before he had to guess where the bench was she grabbed his arm and lead him. They sat. Danni looked back to the sky, but feeling guilty that he couldn't see it turned her eyes to Iggy.

"So, what did you want?" she asked as politely as she could.

He glanced down, human habit. "What are you doing out here, alone?"

She almost laughed. Was he worried that she couldn't handle herself? "Just looking at the stars."

He nodded. The truth was he just wanted to hear her voice again. She hadn't said much, but he liked her voice.

She smiled. He was nervous or something she could tell. She didn't know what to do. That didn't matter much since he started to move his hand to her. He was aiming for her hand she could tell. Instead of moving her hand like she would have for most guys she took his hand.

It was a small move. What it meant though was bigger something that couldn't be put in words. Would this lead to something? Maybe, only time can tell such things.

"Tell me something about yourself," Iggy said softly.

Danni thought about this. She decided to tell him very little people knew about her, "I like to write my own songs and sing them with my guitar."

"I'd like to hear a song," he said smiling thinking about how her voice would sound. Lovely.

"I think I could make that happen. Maybe. If I see you again."

Iggy was puzzled at this. What did she mean? "What?" he couldn't help but ask.

"You're leaving tomorrow. Aren't you?"

Iggy wasn't sure, so he shrugged.

A curtain fell into place over a window looking out onto the two teens. A figure stepped back into the shadows. _They are not going to be a happy couple. Not even over my dead body_, the figure thought. _I love Iggy too much to lose him._

While the figure thought this, another figure was hiding in a bush one hundred feet away. _This should make an interesting opportunity_, the second figure thought.

Only time will tell the ending to this brewing tale.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Iggy and Danni had gone inside and went fast to sleep.

---Next Morning---

The sun was shining into Max's eyes. With a grunt she turned away from the sun.

Danni sat up in bed and looked at the floor. Max, Nudge, and Angel were sleeping in a pile of blankets. Danni had to dance over them to get to the door.

Once she emerged from her room she looked over to her parents room. That was where Fang, the Gasman, and Iggy where sleeping. Her dad, who would be the one to return, would never know that three boys had slept in there. He never paid much attention to how his room was arranged if every thing was close to the place that they had been.

She went into the kitchen. It was still a mess from last night. Before she would eat she would clean up. She was not the type to clean, but she did have a few standards. For instance, make sure the kitchen won't get so dirt that it became a bacteria minefield. What could she say she hated getting sick.

The dishes were just placed into the dishwasher when Max shuffled into the kitchen.

"Oh, sorry for not cleaning up," Max said sluggishly.

Danni looked up to Max, "That's okay. After all you are the guests. Even if you broke in."

Max smiled a bit, "Yeah, about that don't worry. We put the screen back in and it looks as if what happened never happened."

"That's a relief," Danni said taking two bowls from the cabinet overhead. "Want cereal?"

Max shook her head yes.

"So, out of curiosity, where are you going?" Danni asked.

"Uh, nowhere really," Max replied. It was the truth. Honesty's the best policy, so they say.

"If you guys want you can stay here for a few days. My parents won't be back for a few weeks," Danni offered.

"No! We don't want to stay here!" Nudge stormed into the room. Rage was making her turn red.

"Nudge!" Max screamed at her out break of disrespect.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Danni asked.

"Aghh," Nudge suppressed a scream and stomped out of the house banging the door.

The rest of the group came in. They were staring at the scene of the fight. Wide eyes looked from Max to Danni to the door that Nudge almost took off the hinges.

"What was that?" Fang asked gesturing his hand around the room.

Max shook her head, "Nudge just started screaming after Danni offered to let us stay for awhile."

Every face turned to Danni. She nodded to tell them that what Max said was true.

The Gasman sat at the wooden dinning table, "Why would she be upset?"

"I don't know," Max replied.

Angel walked up to Danni, "But she does."

For the second time that morning everyone, including Max, turned to face Danni for an explanation.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Danni lifted her blue eyes to look at Iggy. He may be blind, but he was also looking to where Danni approximately was. Was last nights meeting going to be revealed?

"Last night we went outside to talk. You know, we were getting to know each other," Iggy responded.

Angel turned to Iggy, "And Nudge saw."

The Gasman was staring blankly, "Wait. What does Nudge seeing them have to do with any thing?"

Max's eyes widened, if that was possible at the moment. "Nudge loves Iggy. Not the 'we're family' love but the 'head over heels' love."

Everyone seemed to go into their own world and contemplated this last thought.

_Was it true?_ Iggy thought. What could he say? He liked Nudge, but as a sister not as a girlfriend or anything.

Danni jumped onto the counter. She was turning this over. Nudge liked Iggy. Therefore she hated Danni. Make sense? In a twisted way, yes.

Danni tied her black hair back into a high bun with the hair tie she had placed onto her arm when she woke up.

Was it getting hot in here or was it just her?

---Meanwhile---

Nudge had slammed the door and started off towards the wood.

_How pissed was Max going to be? What if she figures this out and tells Iggy? What if they make fun of me? Wait, what's going on, all this drama over a guy?_

Nudge stopped leaning against a tree. She liked Iggy, a lot, but she never thought she would be the jealous type. _What if it's the School? Or maybe I really am jealous, but I like Danni. How could I have said those mean things?_

---Back in the Kitchen---

Iggy sighed, "Danni, I think you and I need to talk," then he added, "In private."

Danni nodded and jumped off the counter. She took his arm and led him to her parent's room. She closed the door. If the others tried they would be able to hear, but it would be more muffled then if the door were open.

"What?" she said trying not to let her voice tremble.

He held her hand. He was stalling for time. "Danni. I think that maybe…maybe we should…"

He dropped the sentence. Danni's eyebrows were lifting in anticipation to what he was going to say.

"Maybe we should what?" she asked with a twinge of annoyance in her voice.

He looked pained, "I mean. There's Nudge, but I don't care about her the way I care about you. I mean I like her, but as a sister. You, I think I could love you, in time that is."

Danni gave him a blank stare, not that it helped her.

Iggy leaned down and brushed his lips on her cheek. She hadn't noticed until now that he was tall, very tall. Not to brag or anything, but she was tall herself, 5'7. She realized that he passed for a little over 6 feet.

"You know what? You're tall," she couldn't stop herself.

"You think?" he replied with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Max, Fang, Angel, and the Gasman were left in the kitchen.

"What do you think Iggy wanted to talk to Danni about?" Fang asked no one in particular.

Max shrugged.

Angel seemed to think about it, "To tell her that one day he could love her. Also that he wanted to be friends, I think."

"Great, that's all we need. Another love sick flock member," the Gasman said letting one rip.

Max opened a window hoping that would help lessen the smell. "What do you mean?"

The Gasman looked up with an infuriated look, "What do I mean? I mean you and Fang. It's obvious you two like each other, but neither of you are making a move. All the while giving each other those looks."

"What looks?" Fang asked.

Turning to Fang, "You know. Those 'head over heels' looks," the Gasman explained.

Max and Fang had their mouths open and their jaws dropped on the floor. For a seven year old he was very perceptive.

---Bedroom---

Danni held both of Iggy's hands in hers, "What now?" she asked looking up into his face.

He shook his head, "I'm not sure. I do know though that we aren't officially a couple until we kiss. Full lip on lip."

Danni laughed. A kiss? Sure she's kissed before, but not on the lips and not someone her age. So whom had she kissed? Easy her parents and grandparents.

A steady breath and she raised her head. Her lips softly made contact with Iggy's. A few seconds then she pulled back.

"Wow," she was stunned, "As far as first kisses go I'd give that a twelve on a scale of one to ten."

He smiled, "Is that a compliment?"

"I think it is," she said encasing him in her arms.

He was warm. It felt safe. Then something jarred into her brain. There were bumps up and down his back and it wasn't his spineal cord.

"Uh, Iggy?" her voice trembled. She hated herself for the show of fear, but she couldn't help it. "Iggy, can I ask what the bumps on your back are?"

His head shoot up. _Shoot, stupid me, stupid me_, he scolded himself. He had two choices. One tell her the truth or two run like a coward and never look back. Gee which to pick?

He steeped back, "What ever you do don't scream."

He lifted his shirt over his head. Next he turned revealing his wings to Danni. She gasped and walked over running a hand over a wing to see if it was real. Guess what? It was real.

"I've always thought that supernatural beings existed, but now I know they do," she said to herself.

"Uh, about that. I'm not a supernatural being. I was mad in a lab. I'm 98 percent human and 2 percent bird," Iggy explained.

Danni's eyes widened. Come again?

She looked like a deer trapped in the headlights when she asked, "You were genetically engineered?"

Iggy turned back around to face her, giving her a nice view of his abs, just scant outlines. He was kind of scrawny and Danni wasn't complaining.

"In a word, yes. We escaped from the School a few years ago," he explained.

Her eyebrows furled, "'We'? You mean the six of you?"

Iggy slowly nodded.

Danni backed up and walked out the door. She was heading for the kitchen slowly and in disbelief. She just needed some air. This was a lot of information for one girl to handle.

Iggy thought that she was afraid of him and that she was going to tell the others that he told her their secret. He slumped to the floor and went into a blank stare. Was shock setting in?

**

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AN: Just wanted to say hope you liked this chapter and...  
**Twighlight13:** Thanks for the review! And I know, poor Nudge.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Danni walked into the kitchen and ignored the questioning looks of Max, Fang, and the Gasman.

Angel was standing in front of the door that led outside.

"Angel, could you please move?" Danni asked. Her voice was soft, defeated.

Genetic engineering was real. The six kids that broke into her house were born genetically engineered. It was a big bombshell to have drop on her shoulders.

"I think maybe you shouldn't go," Angel moved out of the way still, "But if you must go out I can't stop you."

Danni frowned, confused but opened the door anyway. "Thanks."

Fang walked out of the kitchen and down the hall. Max followed.

In the bedroom Iggy just sat there staring at the closet door that was in front of him.

Fang and Max knelt to either side of him.

Fang shook his shoulder, "Hey, Iggy, are you alright?"

Iggy didn't respond.

Max wondered what happened, but didn't push. If Iggy needed time before talking fine he would have time. If he never talked Danni would pay for hurting him.

---Outside---

Danni sat on the bench. She was shocked.

It seems to be going around.

Danni knew that this didn't change what she felt for Iggy. What it changed was everything else.

Before she could think any farther she felt eyes on her. Someone was watching her. She looked up. A part-dog and part-human creature walked out from behind a bush. Two more followed him. More genetic beings?

She stood and started backing up slowly for the house. They leapt. As soon as the first foot was off the ground she had turned for the door.

Something grabbed her shoulder and she screamed. It wasn't a horror movie scream it was a glass-shattering scream. A hand hit her head to shut her up.

One of the beings picked her up and started to carry her away from her house. A man, completely human looking, stepped out of the bush with a needle in one hand.

_Shit_, she thought. Fear gripped onto her and wasn't going to let go for another fifty or so years. She struggled to get out of the creatures grip but it just tightened.

The needle inched closer and closer. It felt like an eternity before it finally slipped into her neck. The pain was sharp and small, contained and neat.

In mere seconds a heavy cloud of drowsiness filled Danni. She struggled with her eyelids to stay open, but they refused to obey and closed upon themselves. The last coherent noise she heard was the shattering of glass.

---Later That Day---

"Sir, we got the girl and the boy," reported a receptionist via intercom.

"What about the others," he asked.

There was a moment's hesitation, "They got away, Mr. Jensen."

Mr. Jensen smiled and pushed a little button to disconnect the receptionist. The other birdies would get caught soon enough. If they were truly lucky the kids would be stupid enough to try and save one of their own again.

As president of what they called the School Mr. Jensen was the one who ordered who he wanted and if they should be brought in alive or dead.

He wanted the boy and girl very very alive. He was 5'8 and had a beer gut, but he was trained as a spy for the CIA. He was good on stealth missions. He was the one who first saw her. He was the one who came up with an idea to let this be an opportunity in _their _favor.

Indeed this experiment was going to pay off. More funding would be supplied to this research. Break through discoveries would be discovered. The perfect human weapon would be made and he would get all the glory for being the president.

All the glory and no work now that doesn't sound fair. He didn't care. He never did.

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AN: Thanks to everyone who revewied I apperciate the comments. Also constructive critisim is cool with me, but please no flames.  
**Kool-Wolf-** Thanks! And if you go to the website's fourm you'llfind a lot of people who like the book (the URL is in the back of the book). About the chapter length I know that they are kind of short but it's just the way I like to write, keep them short so people don't want to stop reading half way through the chapter. And I hope you keep reading to see if what you think is going to happen will happen. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Danni's head swam. Drugged, but by what? She could hear breathing.

A heavy door swung open. Light tapping foot steeps followed. The smell of roses filled the room. _Let's hope that it's a woman_, Danni thought.

She slowly opened her eyes. The florescent lights made the metallic tables shine brightly into her eyes. Blindness was going to set in soon. _No offense, Iggy._

The scientist was around 5 feet 4 inches and blond. Red glasses that looked as if they came out of a fifties movie framed her green eyes. She wheeled a cart up to the cage that contained Danni.

"What are you doing?" Danni asked. No fear, that was good. Never show fear.

The woman laughed. It was rough but soft. "Just making a few preparations."

Iggy had wakened and was just sitting there.

Hello anybody home? Aghh, not again!

He moved his hand while the doctor wasn't watching. Danni looked hard. Sign language. _Thank you mom_, she thought for her mother forcing her to take lessons.

**They're about to perform an experiment.** That was very helpful, not.

Danni sighed. What could she do? He couldn't see, hate to keep bringing it up but it was the truth. Sign language was useless on him unless he knew Morse code. Danni just hoped that the scientist didn't know what she was trying to say.

She rapped her hands in a pattern. His head shot up. Yep he knew it. He hand signaled back.

"Please stop that rack it," the scientist growled.

Danni snarled her lip, but stopped the rapping. Iggy didn't know what they were planning. They were sitting ducks.

The door opened again and in came the president of the School, Mr. Jensen. He had a smile on his face that reeked of a self-serving bastard.

Iggy heard the door. He stayed still hoping that he would be able to hear it if they whispered. He was glad that Danni knew sign language and Morse code. If she hadn't they wouldn't be able to communicate. When the scientists left they would be free to signal each other's hearts away. Until then they had to settle with silence.

Mr. Jensen was standing back from the triangle created by to the two teens and Serena, the scientist. He was watching what Serena did. If she made a mistake he would catch it. He reminded Danni of a hawk.

Serena turned around to Danni with a needle in hand. It was filled almost all the way with a murky fluid. She opened the door in Danni's cage. Her hand slowly came in. The needle got closer.

_Shit_, Danni thought. The needle slipped through her skin with a pinch in her arm. The liquid was emptied slowly into her system.

"What the…" Danni couldn't finish the sentence. A burning sensation flooded her body.

With the last of the fluid out of the needle Serena closed the cage door and walked out. Mr. Jensen was left watching the effects. His smile had widened.

Iggy could hear someone leave. A cage was rattling. **Danni?** He signed.

"I'm sorry, but the girl is…having a private revolution," Mr. Jensen laughed at his cleverness. He was alone with his laughing.

Danni was shaking as if she was having a seizure. She felt as if her blood was evaporating and fire was replacing it. Was she dying? Dang and she still had fifty pages left in the book she was reading.

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AN: Thanks for the reviews. Also I'm putting this chapter and the next up so the next list of thank-yous will go up on chapter nine. 

**Kool-Wolf -** Thanks for the reviews. Can't wait for the sequal in less than a year. Also hope they don't kill the book with the movie. Also I know in the last chapter I didn't say who they took, guy wise, but that was on purpose, you know suspense. Maybe it didn't work as well as I would like or maybe I knew what I was planning.

**kyden6979: **Thanks a lot. I'm glad you like it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Max had been flung across the room and knocked unconscious. They had gone after Iggy and only Iggy. She felt kind of unwanted.

She sat slowly up and looked around. Everything was a mess. She crawled to Fang. He was bleeding from the lip and had a black eye. Other than that he seemed fine.

"You okay?" He asked Max. She nodded and stood stiffly.

She extended her arm to him. He accepted and let Max help him up. Now on to find the rest of the flock.

In the living room Nudge had put the Gasman on the couch and Angel on the loveseat.

"When did you get in?" Max asked stretching her neck.

"A few minutes ago. What happened?" She asked moving to clean what mess was in the kitchen.

Max followed, "Erasers."

One word. All it took was one word to send cold shivers down Nudge's spine.

Fang had looked Angel and the Gasman over. They weren't badly hurt but needed ice. He opened the freezer door and found a few ice trays. He filled two plastic sandwich bags and wrapped both up into two different kitchen towels.

Max started to help clean by sweeping all the glass from the floor. Garbage duty was calling her. Yippee.

Nudge stopped and turned to Max, "I didn't mean to explode at her like that."

Max looked up, "What are talking about?"

Tears had started to form in Nudge's eyes, "I didn't meant to say those mean things to Danni and now she's gone."

"Gone?" Fang asked also stopping what he was doing.

Nudge nodded, "I say them take her and Iggy. I saw them throw the two into the back of a truck and drive off. I would have stopped them or tried to if they hadn't had guns."

She looked down.

Angel and the Gasman were coming to.

"It's okay Nudge," Max walked over to her and pulled her into a hug, "We'll get them back. We got Angel back and now we know where the School is. It'll be easier."

Angel sat up. She stood and stretched out. Hunger over took all other thoughts. Moving to the refrigerator she noticed Max and Nudge hugging.

"What's going on?" she asked grabbing a package of turkey slices. She walked over to the dinning table and started to eat one slice at a time.

Max answered her while Nudge cried harder into her shoulder, "Iggy and Danni are gone. They were taken by Erasers."

"Erasers?" it was the Gasman's turn to question this. "Yeah that's right."

Most days Max questioned it all. _Most days? Try all the time._

Ah, the voice reared its ugly voice again. After they had rescued Angel from being captured by the Erasers Max had developed a voice. It would either never talk or never shut up. It talked when Max didn't want it to and never peeped when Max wanted it too. So much for being in control over your thoughts, if they were indeed hers.

_Spill_, Max thought to the voice, _what do you know?_

The voice didn't say a thing. So predictable that it's irritating.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Danni had fallen into a pit of unconsciousness. Images of the jungle flashed by. She wasn't herself she was a tiger. She ran and hunted. Instinct was her best friend here. Ah, dreams you gat a love 'em.

Iggy heard the man leave. He and Danni were in the room alone. If only she would answer his hand signals.

"Danni?" he whispered. Silence answered him. _Great. Just great._

A sigh passed his lips. A thought came speeding into his mind. Would it work? Desperate times calls for desperate measures.

He turned around and sat on his legs. Next he unfurled his wings. His cage groaned with the pressure of his wings against the thin metal bars. The door banged open.

An eraser banged on top of the cage. Iggy's ears rang with the sound. He folded his wings. The way he saw it he had two choices: one, keep pressing his wings against the cage and get killed by the eraser or two, stop now and try again when he was alone. The second choice seemed a lot better.

The Eraser turned and noticed Danni, "Well, well, well. Look at what we have here. Maybe the boss'll let us have some fun with her."

"Stay away from her," Iggy said low, but hostile. Some how when someone said what he just said it always sounded more threatening in a low voice then yelled.

"Aw, don't get your feathers ruffled, freak. I wouldn't want to if the drug worked," with that said the Eraser left.

_What drug_, Iggy thought. A moan filled the room. "Danni?"

"Ow! That hurt. So what…" Danni stopped mid-sentence.

She had bit her tongue. That wasn't normal. She touched her teeth. They were pointed. She heard Iggy breathing. It was soft. He was worried. How did she know that?

Her nose twitched with his fear. She touched her ears, they were pointed a bit and was it her or was there really tiny fur covering it. No there was fur. She looked down at her hands. They looked normal.

The door opened surprising her. Her nails grew into claws and she screamed.

Serena smiled, "One down and one to go."

Three Erasers entered. One was rolling a flatbed cart. The other two grabbed Iggy's cage and dropped it down on the cart. The Erasers rolled him out.

"Don't worry we won't kill him. How do you like the changes? I hope you didn't think they were freaks because if you did now you're a freak also," Serena said and stalked out the door with a chuckle.

"Freak?" Danni said it aloud to no one. Then it hit her. The tiger dream wasn't just a dream, well it was, but it also was like a heads up. She had been injected with a drug that caused her to become a genetically engineered person. She would be lucky to survive because it has never been done before.

Hopefully Iggy would also survive whatever torture they gave him.

* * *

AN: Okay again I uploded two chapters, this one and the next, so the next chapter is just that the chapter without an authors note. Hope you liked this chapter and I appreciate the reviews.

**Kool-Wolf- **I'm sorry that you thought I called you wise guy, but I didn't. I wrote 'I didn't tell you who the school took, guy wise' meaning you allready knew they had Danni but I didn't tell you what guy they took. Forgive me for bad wording? Anyway glad you liked the chapters.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

The rolling stopped. Iggy's cage was lifted and placed on a table. The Erasers left him alone.

Iggy listened for any sign of something, he wasn't sure what. Then quiet footsteps sounded down a walkway. The door opened with a bang. More then one person entered.

Mr. Jensen was beaming with happiness. His first test of the day worked, now for the second test. It was going to be a bit trickier- reversal was never easy.

The doctors came in and opened the cage. They grabbed the little birdie and struggled to strap him down on the table. Some profanity slipped.

"Now, now, now, no profanity here," scolded Mr. Jensen.

Iggy kept struggling even after he was strapped tight to the table.

He felt a needle slip into his neck. It was more of a stab though. He soon fell asleep. _Da…you_, was his last non-coherent thought.

---Hours Later---

Iggy started to wake up. He moved. He wasn't strapped to the table anymore he was back in his cage. He could feel something clinging over his face or more specifically his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Danni asked.

"I don't know," Iggy replied. He was still groggy from what ever they gave him.

More footsteps sounded and the door opened. Didn't they ever get tired of them?

"I see your out from under the knife. It got a little too bloody for me. Oh and by the way I'm Mr. Jensen. Just think of me as your father. The same goes to you Danni," the president said.

"Like hell it does," Danni yelled before she could bit her tongue.

An Eraser stepped up to her cage and back slapped it. The cage rattled. Danni's claws grew and she hissed. It wasn't a cat hiss it sounded human, but with the teeth it was more of a cross between the two.

The Eraser looked shocked and leaped back. Once he recovered he glared the death glare at her. She just laughed at him but suppressed it before he hit the cage again.

"Now," it was the scientist Serena, "It's time to see if the test worked."

She stepped forward and opened Iggy's cage. She slowly and carefully removed the blind that had covered his eyes.

Everything was bright and really fuzzy outlines came in and out of view.

Wait a minute did we just read outlines? We did! Yeah, that's right people Iggy saw outlines!

"What?" Iggy asked incredulously.

Serena closed the cage. Stepping back, "It worked. We preformed a little surgery. You're eyes aren't better, not what we hoped for, but you can see. Being without your sight for all those years you'll still have the heightened senses. Only now you'll have sight along with them."

Iggy shook his head. _They're messing with me. No, I can really see._ He looked up and saw Danni. _I was right. She does look like a cat: sleek and lethal._

The doctors, including Serena, turned and left. Soon the Erasers followed them and last to leave was Mr. Jensen who looked full of himself.

Iggy looked around, "It's been awhile. I would have hoped that I wouldn't see this for the first sight, though."

"Sorry I couldn't paint a backdrop to cover the holding cell, but unfortunately every time I tried my claws ripped the fabric," Danni said.

Iggy looked up, "The only thing that made seeing worth while here was you."

Danni blushed and shook her head. It wasn't her style to blush, but coming from Iggy she couldn't help it.

"We're getting out of here," she said envisioning them breaking out together and finding the flock. Then she'll run away, maybe with the flock or by herself, because if her parents saw her all hell would break lose in her house.

"So certain? I like it and totally agree," Iggy said with a smile seeing that there was enough stuff in here to build a little something just for the School.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Max, Fang, Angel, and the Gasman had little to go on. The searched and searched and searched. They kept coming up with nothing. They didn't go to the School.

To go to the School would be suicide. What if the School was prepared this time? Last time, rescuing Angel, was shear dumb luck.

They couldn't go to the Institute either. The Institute would also be more guarded than last time.

The four of them where staying in the wood near Danni's house. What if they escaped? What if Iggy and Danni went looking for them here?

It had been three months. It was September. Danni was supposed to be in school, high school. Instead she was missing. Her father came home to an empty house with broken windows. Kidnap?

He called the police. The police figured she'd run away. Her parents were going through a divorce, they yelled and fought verbally. Yeah, that would be incentive enough for a teen to pack up and run. Her dad now spent a lot of time at the bar and would sometimes come home at dawn.

The moon was huge in the starry sky. Max was lying on the ground alone. The others were asleep. She kept hoping to see a flash of wings fly by. Iggy with Danni in his arms trying to find Max and Fang and Angel and the Gasman.

A branch crunched under a foot. Max bolted up. She looked around to see Fang.

"Don't do that!" she scolded.

He frowned, "What?"

"Sneak up and scare the heebie-jeebies out of me."

"Heebie-jeebies? Who says that anymore?"

Max stared him straight in the eye, "You know what I mean."

He sighed and sat next to her. "You know the chances…" Fang stopped talking mid-sentence. He bounced up and flew into the sky leaving Max behind.

Fang flew higher and higher. He flew past what he saw and tilted up, getting in Iggy's way.

Iggy skidded to a stop.

"You know me and Max were just talking about you," Fang said not containing his excitement at seeing his brother.

Max had reached them by now, "Hey!"

Iggy stared at Max, "You look awful."

Max started to hit him then froze, "Wait a minute. What?"

"I hate to interrupt your family reunion, but I prefer to be on the ground," Danni said.

They descended. Max and Fang were smiling like idiots. They landed back in the clearing.

Fang was the first to speak. "Tell us everything," he said when they reached the place where they had been sleeping. Angel and the Gasman had awoken and were now listening and they all sat in a circle. Oh camp theme going on here.

"Can they handle the whole story?" Danni asked Iggy.

"I don't know? Can you?" Iggy asked the flock.

They nodded as Nudge joined in.

"Well, lets see," Danni started while Iggy took her hand, "I was born one dark and stormy night…" She stopped as a leaf, thrown by the Gasman, hit her lap. "Okay, okay. So we, Iggy and I, were captured. Right? Riight. Then I got stabbed with a needle and I wake up part tiger."

"Excuse me?" Max asked.

"Part tiger. Kinda like you guys except take out the bird and add the tiger. Get it?" Danni said.

Nudge stopped listening but got the gist of it. Iggy had his sight, then made a bomb and knocked out a few corridors of the School and they flew here.

_Iggy has his sight but still is all over Danni. The slut! I'll just have to wedge between them. One way or another he'll be mine._ Nudge had a plan forming in her head and a mischievous smile spreading across her face.

Danni, watch out for this bird. Looks as if the food chain is about to get turned upside down. Big cats no longer in charge.

* * *

AN: Sorry this took longer to get up but I didn't want to put it up with out having a few more chapters written. Chapter 13 should be up next week or this (Sep. 3 or 4, 2005) weekend. 

**Kool-Wolf** - Thanks for reviewing again. About the length of the chapters I'm working on making them longer. Chapter 14 IS twice as long as the usual chapter lenght I've been using.

**Laiannon-fae-elf** -Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like it


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

"What happened?" Mr. Jensen almost yelled. Red had creped up into his cheeks.

A newly made eraser was the one to answer, "Uh, it was the captives. They…they blew up the lab."

Mr. Jensen turned on his heels. His eyes bugging out of their sockets, "Gee, I wouldn't have guessed. Start the repairs. We have to find them. We have to get them _all_," he stressed the world all that sent cold shivers down even the older erasers backs.

---Back in the Woods---

Danni sat staring into the dying fire while the rest of the flock slept. Her mind was too restless to sleep. Laying down she laced her fingers through Iggy's. He had been through a lot, so had the rest of the flock.

It hadn't been their fault that was just the way it was. They had been born into this while Danni was dragged into this. Strangely though she wasn't angry with them. After all they weren't the ones to inject her with tiger DNA.

Slowly she closed her eyes and drifted off with thoughts of Iggy and thoughts of the jungles.

Nudge's eyes sprung open. _Finally_, she thought. She silently left the campsite and disappeared into the woods. Now all she needed was a really… Yes that would work.

She stooped and picked up her weapon of choice, a sharp branch. It was just sharp enough that with enough thrust it could inflict a lot of damage. Who knows maybe even death?

Tracking down an unmarked trail Nudge kept an eye out for a rabbit. After a few minutes a brown fury rabbit hopped into Nudges path. As silent and deadly as a snake she striked with the branch she had picked up earlier and stabbed the meaty brown neck. Blood was swelling up around the branch's bark. Carefully picking up the rabbit Nudge moved back to the camp.

Quietly setting the rabbit on the ground Nudge pulled the branch out. Plunging her fingers into the rabbit Nudge saw her plan coming to life. Slathering Danni's mouth and hands with blood Nudge smiled. It wasn't the normal happy-go-lucky smile it was a wicked grin, malicious.

She walked away into the woods again. At a stream she discarded the rabbit after ripping her shirt leaving fingernail marks. The marks weren't deep enough so she added rabbit's blood.

Next she walked to a tree farther into the woods. Clawing her neck deep enough so that it bled. She closed her eyes. For this plan to work she had to pay in blood.

With a deep breath she lifted the branch and plunged it into her stomach. Pain shoot through her. She wanted to scream but couldn't. Slowly slumping she lay on her side and stared at the trees and grass. Soon they would find her and her plan would then be finalized.

While she waited Iggy was in the world between waking and sleeping. He could feel the warmth of Danni next to him and a smile lit his face shattering the dream world. Awake now he kept his eyes closed. His smile widened.

The School did only a few things right. One was giving his eyes back and two…Okay so the School only did one thing right. He could see again and that was worth a thank you if nothing else.

When he first removed the bandage back in the School the first thing he saw was Danni. He didn't know it was her by sight but the fact that she was behind bars and looking at him with those blue eyes- blue eyes that looked at him with concern. She was as beautiful as he imagined her to be.

With thoughts of Danni rolling around in his head Iggy drifted back to sleep.

The next morning Max was the first to wake. The first thing she saw was red. Blood. It was all over Danni's hands and mouth. _What happened to her?_

"Danni!" Max screamed waking the rest of the flock up.

"What happened?" Gazzy asked seeing the blood.

Danni's eyes had grown wide too. "How the hel-"

Max cut Danni off, "Danni! Sorry, but watch your mouth. Do you know what happened?" Max asked calmly because yelling the whole conversation would kill their voices for the next week.

Danni shook her head no while trying to wipe the blood on her hands off on her jeans.

"Where's Nudge?" Fang asked looking around.

Max stood and looked around too.

"I can smell her," Danni said getting up. "Her scent is all over me along with something else. I think the bloods animal, not human, game."

She moved through the woods following the scent to the stream then to the woods. The flock followed silently after Danni yelled at them twice.

When they saw the dark brown hair sprawled across her face they ran the short distance to her. A branch was stuck in her gut, her shirt ripped, and her neck full of scraps and to top it off it looked like an animal had thrashed her.

Eyes turned to Danni who looked as horrified at the site as the rest of them. Angel took Max's hand in one of hers and then took Danni's hand in her other hand. Something was creeping into Angels mind but it was taking longer for her to know what it was than usual.

As she was about to say something Erasers surrounded the flock and a few white coats too boot. Yeah the day was just starting and it was already looking bad. Could it get worse? Yes it could but would it?

* * *

AN: Sorry this took a little longer to get out, stupid school. Next one hopefully by next saturday.

**Kool-Wolf** -Glad you liked it. This chapters longer than the others and the next to come is to.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

A man with a beer gut stepped in front of the flock, "Get a med kit, fix her up," he pointed to the fallen Nudge. "Looks like we're too early."

Max tensed. They had to get out of there now, but Erasers surrounded Nudge and she wasn't leaving with out her.

"Max, calm yourself. We aren't going to hurt you."

"No you're just going to kill us," she said glaring at the man.

He sighed and took a step back. "I told you we should have left later," he addressed the erasers.

"What are you talking about?" Max asked.

"Tsk. Tsk. You are slowing down. Doesn't Nudge seem a bit different to you?" the man said.

The flock thought about this. "Yeah, actually," the gasman said at last. Max shot him one of the coldest looks ever. If it was possible all his blood froze.

"Yes well, that's to be expected. You see we didn't plan on you guys escaping but we had to prepare. So we implanted a ship into each of you. For the past few years we've known where you've been and we tried to capture you but they failed. So we let you think you were out smarting us-"

"We'll if you kept getting shot down then haven't you lost?" Fang asked.

The man sighed, "Please don't interrupt, it's rude. Anyway. When Danni came along," he pointed to her and she tensed up, "we decided it was time to execute our plan. We turned the chip on making Nudge jealous. And now look at her," he stepped away allowing the flock to see Nudge.

The branch was removed and a few doctors were working on the wounds she inflected upon herself.

"Who the h-. I mean, arrgh. Oh forget that. Who the hell do you think you are?" Danni screamed. "What gives you the right to play god like that? You're messing with peoples' lives. You just see them as projects, something to poke at. Don't you get, they have feelings and thoughts just like you."

"Uh, gee, really. You have opened my eyes! I see now that I'm wrong that what I was doing was amoral," the man said grinning.

Danni's claws grew; thick and sharp. Her anger was boiling over and about to spill, along with some blood perhaps.

"Wait!" a voice screamed, "Stop! Mr. Jensen wait!"

Jeb Batchelder ran into the opening. Sweat ran over his face making the redness from exertion look even more sever.

The man stepped back in front of Nudge and looked to Jeb, "Excuse me? I'm the _jefe_, here."

"I know you're the boss but don't. Please don't," Jeb panted.

Mr. Jensen laughed, "I'm just cleaning up your mess. You know what they did was reckless. Back in that restaurant in NYC."

"It was a mistake. Please don't kill them they're still valuable. We can reprogram them."

"I think not," this came from Max.

Silence fell over the group. That was all Danni needed she lunged in quickly and silently. One swipe and Mr. Jensen's throat was ripped deep. Thick rivers of blood flowed out while he struggled for breath.

Fighting broke out. It all became a blur of wings, claws, and sharp erasers teeth. Jeb stumbled backward and fled.

He made it to the stream but wings soon blocked his way. Max turned to him with bloodlust in her eyes.

"You'd kill your own father?" he pleaded with a pain in his eyes.

"My father? I may have half your genes but you are far from being my father. A father's suppose to love you, suppose to be there for you, suppose care for you. And you, Jeb, are not that," Max said stepping forward with each 'suppose'.

Jeb took three huge steps back. Fear was settling deep into his gut. This was it. He closed his eyes and said his last silent good byes.

Death was inevitable and he knew it. Heck even the flock would have to die. At least he would finally see his son.

Max leapt at him and wrapped her hands around his head. A sharp crack and he fell dead. Max backed away from the body.

"Max?" Fang came up behind her. "You did that?"

She nodded.

"Cool." Fang could see that Max wasn't sure if this was a good thing. Comforting wasn't his niche so he did the best he could. Taking her by the waist he lead her back to the gang all the while whispering "its okay".

"I don't think they'll be finding us again. At least after we take that chip out of us," Nudge said. She held up the chip that was inside of her. "I'm sorry about all that Danni. I really do like you."

"Thanks," Danni said with a smile.

Max sighed, "We can't take the chip out of me. It's infused with me."

"No it isn't," Angel said shaking her head, "I heard how we can get it out."

"Really," Max asked hopefully. Angel just nodded her head happily.

The flock, including Danni who was now a flock member even though she wasn't part bird, walked the long trek back to her house.

Things were looking up and moral was high. Well this isn't a fairy tale life keeps going. So this is what you call a temporary happy ending. Anyway happy endings are highly overrated.

* * *

AN: Here it is, the longer chapter. Twice the times longer than the first few chapters. Hope you all liked it.

**Kool-Wolf** - I'm glad you fell that way about Nudge, cause then I convoyed the whole "bad Nudge" thing right. Funny thing, I was just revising this and then you review came up, just in time for me to reply. lol.

**Laiannon-fae-elf** - I'm so glad that you like the story and reviewed. I appreciate it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"My dad's probably at work," Danni said when she opened the door with the hidden key. It was around ten thirty so he should be at work.

"What will we do 'till then?" the Gasman asked.

Danni looked around. The place was a mess. Beer bottles littered the floor with a rising smell. "Clean up, at lest I will."

Danni started picking up the bottles. Max was the first to help then the other flock members slowly started to help. Soon the bottles were in a bin ready for recycling, the windows were being wiped clean from dirt, the kitchen was being swept and wiped clean, and the floors that had carpet were being vacuumed.

"Thanks guys for helping," Danni said when everyone was done and falling upon the couches arranged in a semi-circle. "The windows got done a lot faster,"

"Thanks to our wings!" Nudge said in unison with the Gasman.

"That does help," Max said grabbing a chip from the bowl on the coffee table. She bit into it sending a crumb onto Fangs lap.

He picked it up, "That's just what I wanted, regurgitated food- like real birds. Thanks." He added a smirk after popping it into his mouth.

Danni grabbed the TV remote and punched the "power" button. After flipping through a few channels she found a show about the Russian Empire on the History Channel.

Iggy looked at Danni incredulously, "You can't really want to watch this?"

Danni only nodded and placed her hand over his mouth for him to stop talking. He kissed her hand and slowly brought it down between them and held it in his hand.

Slowly everyone began to fall asleep. Not because of the show, though that might have something to do with it, but because the morning had been very eventful.

At two forty five Danni woke up first. The History Channel was now giving a show about dangerous gasses like cyanide. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up. She had fallen against Iggy.

Looking around at each of the flock members she wondered how she was going to explain this to her Dad. Just as this thought was processed gravel crunched outside. Danni looked out the window to see her Dad jump out of his truck.

"Guys, wake up!" Danni whispered a yell.

Holding her finger to her lips the flock got the picture and stayed quiet. She pointed to her room at the back of the house. It was bad enough that she had "ran away" but coming back with friends who had wings was even worse.

The door clicked with the key. The knob slowly turned. Danni stood and smoothed her worn and dirty jeans down. _Breath_, she reminded herself.

Her dad walked in holding a beer bottle in one hand and pulled the keys out of the lock. Danni's mouth fell open.

_How stupid are you, Dad, drinking and driving? What a hypocrite._

"Dad?" she asked questioningly.

He turned horrified. "What the-. I stopped seeing you a month ago. You…you're not real! Get out! Get out now!" He threw the bottle.

Danni ducked and ran to her room hearing the glass hit the wall. Opening the door she went straight to the window ignoring the looks on her friends faces. Flinging the pane up she leapt out and motioned for the others to follow.

They ran into the woods. Danni never looked back. If she did the tears that were threatening to create a river down her face would fall hard with no signs of slowing.

Her dad just kicked her out. He though she was an effing hallucination. About a mile from the house and back into the clearing they had slept in the night before Danni fell against a tree. Slowly the tears started to fall. No sound came yet that was soon to follow.

Max, Fang, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel silently walked farther into the woods giving her some alone time. Iggy sat next to her and gently wrapped his arms around her.

Danni leaned back against him as he smoothed her hair down.

"How could he?" she asked starting to blubber. She hated crying and blubbering especially in front of people but she couldn't help it, not now.

"Shh," Iggy kept saying trying to calm her while she continued to cry.

The sky grew darker slowly. Finally Danni grew quiet and fell asleep. Tomorrow was another day and hopefully she would get on with her life.

---Later that Night---

Shadows slid across the trees. People were moving closer to the flock.

The leader held up his hand to stop the others. A few hand gestures and the group moved out. Two shadow people to each flock member. The leader motioned with his fingers; one, two, three.

Arms flung down grabbing their designated flock member and picked them up. A few tranquilizers, shot from guns, found their way to each of the struggling kids' necks.

As quietly as they came the shadows left with the flock. Fading into the dark canopy of the woods they made their way to the vehicles awaiting them.

* * *

AN: I'm so sorry that this took a while toget out. It's just with school I have less time to write these, but I'm working on them so please be paticent.

**Kool-Wolf** - Thanks for the review. My plan worked than, the people not liking Nudge then going "oh, I see now".

**kittenchow** - Thanks. I'm glad you like it.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

A knock sounded on the door. "Come in," came a muffled voice.

A woman dressed in blue camo pants and a gray shirt walked in. She stood at attention saluting the man sitting behind the desk.

Standing up the director grabbed a file from the open drawer of the cabinet. "State your designation."

"Subject- AD, sir," she said keeping her eyes straight in good soldier fashion.

The man behind the desk nodded, "What's the matter of this meeting?"

"It's the subjects, sir. They've been brought in by the Alpha Squad at 0300 this morning and being held in captive cell 5 and 6."

"Thank you for informing me, Subject- AD," the director said moving around the desk.

Subject- AD left turning down the left corridor while the director turned right. His footsteps echoed through the wing over the noise of various training rooms and examination rooms. He ran a tanned hand through his dark brown hair and breathed in deeply.

The School's projects here for training. This was an event of the decade. Children with wings! Not just children genetically engineered to be powerful; no they were built to fly.

Opening the last door on the left he flipped on a light switch. The fluorescent lights flickered into life shinning down on the captive cells. Walking down the narrow corridor he stopped in front of cells 5 and 6.

"I'm sorry for the condition we brought you in. We had a feeling you would have fought and I wouldn't blame you but it had to be like this," the director said to the flock. They glared at him from the cells on either side of him.

Looking up at the cameras the director said, "They're ready. And be sure to have plenty of Subjects class E and F's." He turned and walked out stopping short of the door, "By the way my name is Jordan," after saying his name he continued to walk through the door. The metal click echoed through both the hallway and the holding cells followed by retreating footsteps.

"Not again!" Danni almost yelled.

"Welcome," Max said in a flourished voice, "To your new live courtesy of the School."

The metal door opened and dozens of men came in. A guess as to how many would be around five dozen. The girls' cage opened first and men rushed in. They grabbed a girl, about five to each girl. The extra men assigned to the girls acted as bodyguards. Next the boys' cage was flung open and the same thing happened.

The flock was carried through a series of corridors. They struggled to get free from their captors each was losing. Bruises would soon form from the captors' hard grips.

Another metal door clanked open. Inside were a few rows of reclining seats the type that belonged in dentists' office except that these were not cushioned except for the seat.

Max and Danni were strapped down next to each other. Angel, the Gasman, and Nudge were seated nest to each other in the row in front of the two girls. Iggy and Fang were seated in different rows from the rest of the flock each having a row to themselves. They struggled to break the straps but couldn't.

"On my count," Jordan said. "One, two, three, fire."

Technicians pushed buttons in no apparent order. In a few minutes screams ripped through the flocks mouths. Agony pierced the ears of the guards standing by.

As soon as the screams came they left. The flock fell into a deep abyss of unconscious.

Darkness, thick as oil, slowly dissolved from Danni's view. She was running through a forest. Being chased by a cheetah really made her heart hammer. Danni froze in the middle of a clearing turning in time to see the cat lunge at her.

Danni's eyes sprang open and she bolted upright. "Max!"

"What?" Max said rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She slipped out of her bed and walked over to Danni's.

"Dream. I died or was going to," Danni looked down at her lap.

Max nodded and lay down next to her, "It's fine now. The only thing who can kill you now is me." Max clasped her hand with Danni's.

"Out by sixteen or dead in the scene, together forever," both said at the same time. Danni was the one to come by the line from the movie Ginger Snaps and it become hers and Max's motto.

"Sisters forever," Danni added starting to fall back into the dream realm.

* * *

**AN:** I'm sorry that this took so long to get up. Please don't be to mad I've been busy, but I'm putting up two chapters in a row to help ease the pain of waiting.

**Cinnamon Spice **- I'm glad that you like this. I have also read a couple from the Max Ride website.

**Kool-Wolf **- I'm glad you liked it. What I meant was that hopefully you would have seen why something happened had happened.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Danni and Max made their way to the park to meet up with the gang. Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy would come together from the orphanage.

All seven of the kids grew up in the orphanage together. It was only a year ago that Iggy was adopted. Fang was next around three months later. Then Max and Danni, the only sibs other than Angel and Gazzy, were taken into the same home three months after Fang.

Iggy and Fang were the only ones at the park when the girls arrived.

"Hey," Fang said as Iggy just waved.

"Where's the rest of the group?" Max asked.

Fang shrugged. "I'm going to see that movie, about the witch, tonight. Wanna come, Max?"

"Me? You're asking me?" Max asked astonished.

Danni tried not to smile. It was obvious to her that Fang and Max had a thing for each other.

"Well, do you?" Fang asked taking a step closer to Max with an arching eyebrow.

She nodded, "Okay, I'll go see the move."

"With me?"

"With you."

"Okay, enough with the head games, huh?" Iggy asked.

Fang turned to him, "You're just sad 'cause you're going to be alone tonight watching Ginger Snaps."

"Good movie, you won't be disappointed," Danni chimed in.

"Maybe you'll watch it with me. Tonight." Iggy looked at Danni in a completely serious way.

"Maybe," Danni said with a hint of mystery. Sighing and rolling her eyes, "Fine. If you really want I'll watch Ginger Snaps with you."

"Good. Come over around five 'o' clock. And don't eat dinner. I wanna show off my cooking skills." Iggy said.

Danni gave a small laugh, "Oh, so you're going to pass of Jean's cooking as your own." She referred to Iggy's adoptive mother.

"How can I? Jean went out of town for a few weeks, business. She also didn't leave any food in those containers for me to heat up. But if you want to make sure than come around three 'o' clock instead."

"Two hours earlier?"

"Hey the food takes awhile to prepare."

An idea popped into Danni's head, "Hey, it's been a while since you heard my guitar and I. Should I bring it?"

"Definitely," Iggy said extending a hand, "Deal?"

"Date. You mean date. This isn't a win lose situation."

"Fine. Date?"

"Date," she said taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

"Hey!" Nudge yelled over from the swings where she now sat on the bar where the chains attach too. Her wings were beating softly to keep her balance.

One of the many things that bonded the group together was their uniqueness.

The gasman and Angel landed on to the ground. Angel hopped onto a swing and started pumping her legs.

"Hey," Max, Danni, Iggy, and Fang said in unison.

Nudge hopped down and walked towards the group. Gazzy was right behind her. Angel flew off the swing in mid air and flew to the group.

The group hung out until around one 'o' clock. Danni and Max headed home.

"So, are you going to go to Iggy's?" Max asked while watching the fallen leaves float by on the wind.

Danni froze inwardly but tried to keep cool on the outside. "And I wouldn't because?"

"Because you like him. You don't think he likes you although it's obvious to everyone but you that he likes you."

"Oh, shut up!" Danni said whacking Max on the arm.

Max shot Danni an angry look and soothed her shoulder. "You know it's true. I mean I can see it."

"Maybe, but then again you can't even see that Fang likes you."

"Shut up," Max said as she abruptly stopped in her path causing Danni to run into her.

"What the-" Danni saw what had caused Max to freeze up.

At the intersection of the four way street there had been an accident. The cars had collided with such force that they scrunched up like two accordions. The police had roped the "do not cross" tape around the crash and had started to redirect the cars needing to get through onto an alternate path. The paramedics were working on getting the victims into the ambulance.

On the ground were two body bags; both were empty for a moment.

"Let's leave," Danni suggested not wanting to see a dead body. Who could blame her?

"In a minute," was all Max said.

Two men carried what seemed to be a long lump of bloody sheets onto one of the body bags. It wasn't until the lump had been placed down that Danni realized it was a body. One of the men started to zip the bag up.

A cry escaped Danni. She didn't know who it was, but it was a horrible way to die. She couldn't stand looking at the body. The person must have suffered before their heart had finally stopped beating.

A few minutes later another body was carried onto the remaining body bag.

Tears had gathered around both girls' eyes.

They didn't know the victims but it was painful to see the bodies being bagged up. Knowing that they would never be able to see their family again.

"Can we go know?" Danni asked starting to head home without waiting for Max's answer.

Max nodded and followed after her sister.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own the song "Die for you" by Megan McCauley. I am simply a fan of the song and thought it would work for this part of the story. **

**Chapter Eighteen**

Danni sat in front of the computer in the TV room. She was searching for sheet music she could use on the guitar. She didn't think Iggy would appreciate the songs her teacher had made her learn.

After an hour of surfing and nothing turning up she decided to suck her pride up and just sing one of the stupid songs her teacher had taught her.

"Hey, are you going to get ready?" Max asked walking into the room eating a yogurt. She had the spoon half way to her mouth full with the reddish yogurt.

"What do you mean?" Danni said looking down at her navy blue t-shirt that read "life bites and so do I" with vampire fangs underneath and her worn blue jeans.

Max raised an eyebrow.

Sighing Danni stood and grabbed her guitar and headed for the door. After slipping on her running shoes she grabbed her keys she slipped out before Max could force her to change.

A few roads and a few lyric lines later Danni climbed the steps to Iggy's house and rang the bell.

The door opened to reveal Iggy in a white stained apron and flour smudged on his checks. Danni smiled at the sight.

"Guess I'm late," she said opening the screen and walking in.

Iggy closed the doors and shook his head, "No. I just started earlier."

Setting the guitar down on the couch Danni went to check out the kitchen. The island was covered with ingredients. The counter matched the island and the sink was filling with dirty dishes.

Moving to the sink Danni started to remove the dirty dishes so she could fill the sinks with the soap and water needed to clean the dishes.

"What are you doing?" Iggy asked turning off the spigot.

Turning the spigot back on she replied, "Helping you."

"No. I'll cook and clean. You just watch so you know Jean didn't leave anything in the fridge."

"I don't think so. I have to do something to help you."

"Help me? How about a song?" Iggy asked, eyes averting to Danni's guitar case.

"Fine, but then I help you wash the dishes," extending her hand, "Deal?"

"Deal," he said shaking it firmly.

Walking into the living room Danni unclasped the locks and began to tune the strings.

"Just remember that the song sounds better with the other instruments." Danni had pleaded with her teacher to let her learn this. After a month or so he finally broke down and allowed her to learn the strings.

She started to tap her foot and took a few quick breaths.

"Your fear, it moves me  
Your weakness, I taste  
I breathe you, I hate you  
You course through my veins

You want me, you love me  
And I hate myself  
I breathe you, but I hate you  
'Cause I want nothing else

And I bleed you, since I've healed you  
Your pain escapes through me  
'Cause I breath you, but I hate you  
'Cause they say we could never be  
They can't see

I know I shouldn't love you  
There's just too much to fake  
But you see me, and I feel you  
And I am not afraid  
I'm not afraid

And I bleed you, since I've healed you  
Your pain escapes through me  
Cause I breath you, but I hate you  
Cause they say we could never be."

Danni finished the song. There was more but her teacher didn't really like the song so he cut out the other parts.

"So how was I?" Danni asked looking into the kitchen from the doorway. Iggy had stopped preparing the spaghetti and stared at her during the song.

"You were great," he said slowly. He's voice hinted that he was impressed and not that she was bad. "It sounds familiar though."

"It was on the Fantastic Four soundtrack."

"That's it!" Iggy laughed at his own forgetfulness. Danni smiled. Setting the guitar on the couch she made her way to the kitchen table. On top of a pile of papers – which Danni could only make out as "how to make an explosive"- was a CD case.

She plucked out a CD and put it into the radio/CD player that stood on the table.

"What CD did you get?" Iggy asked opening a can of tomato sauce.

The smell of the sauce hit the air making Danni's reply a little breathless with anticipation of the food. "You'll hear," she pushed the play button.

Disturbed's Prayer came out from the speaker.

"You and Fang…" Iggy said shaking his head.

Fang and Danni had taken a liken into Rock music and a few other "dark" things, like movie choices, at least that was what Max and Iggy called it. In reality Fang and Danni liked darker stuff but there was much darker stuff out there.

"You know you like it," Danni said moving to the sink.

"Just like I like you?" he retorted with.

Danni froze. She could feel her checks starting to redden and was thankful to have her back to Iggy.

"Yeah, okay. Go ahead and laugh. Tell me that I'd never had a chance. That you like me but as a friend, but at least I said it."

"You mean it," Danni spoke softly. If it weren't for the bird hearing he would have missed it.

"Yes, I mean it."

Danni looked down. "I like you too."

"I had a feeling," Iggy said.

Danni's mouth fell opened, "You're lucky your near the food otherwise you'd be soaked with water by now." She smiled. He smiled. They were a couple of smiling fools.

To both of them it felt as if a weight had been lifted. They had both confessed their feelings. Now all they needed to know was where were they going.

"How long until dinner?" Danni asked turning back to the dishes with a big grin plastered to her face. It would take a while before it fell off.

"Give it about thirty minutes to an hour."

Danni nodded and listened to the music and mentally rocked out.

* * *

**Kool-Wolf** - Thanks for the review. And I would never make Danni die! Anyway thanks for reviewing. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Max sat down at the computer and logged Danni off. She stared at the blank screen while finishing her yogurt.

Fang would be there soon. Max smiled to herself. Tonight was going to be fun; she had been dying to see the witch movie ever since she saw the preview.

The doorbell rang. Standing up Max threw out her yogurt cup and threw the spoon into the sink.

Just as she opened the door the doorbell rang for a second time.

"Hi," she said taking her jacket off the coat rack. "Ready?"

"Always," Fang said. He opened the storm door side and made a motion with his hands like one of the butlers from those old movies, "After you, milady."

Fang and Max made their way to the theater. Inside there was a very vintage atmosphere. Posters of movies from the mid 1900's hung around the walls. New movies had their posters outside and in a glass case inside the lobby.

As Fang paid- he had made Max give him her money for her ticket- Max looked around.

Walking out of a movie was a man with his wife. It couldn't be. They were the same couple that Max had seen been put into body bags. And the possibility that the two were really twins of the dead couple seemed so very far from possible.

"No way," was all Max was able to stutter.

Fang turned with two tickets in hand, "What?"

"They're dead," she pointed to the couple making their way to the exit.

"Uh, Max, they don't look dead to me," Fang said putting his arm on her back and gently pushing her toward the right theater room.

"I don't mean they are dead," Max said shaking Fang off. "I mean I say _them_ being stuffed into body bags today. After we meet in the park."

At the moment the couple looked over to the two bird children. Their faces grew pale and they hurried out the door.

Max ran after them. Fang had no choice but to follow.

Outside it was cooling down. The couple was nowhere to be seen. Max turned in circles.

"Maybe they went the other way," Fang said. Just as he finished a net was thrown over his head.

"Fang!" Max screamed. Another net was thrown, this time over Max's head. "Let go!" she screamed as a pair of very strong arms encircled her.

"Shut up," a gruff voice said in a low threatening voice.

Fang and Max were hauled to a white van and stuffed inside. A loud clicking noise signaled that they were locked in.

---Meanwhile---

"This is very good," Danni said to Iggy as she placed her dish in the soapy sink.

Iggy bowed slightly, "Why thank you ever so much."

Danni laughed at his humor. She took the empty bowl from his hands and placed that into the sink too. She hugged him and kissed him on the mouth for the twelfth time that night.

As she pulled away her cat hearing picked up a noise from outside. Danni's whole body tensed.

"What?" Iggy asked. Then he knew that there was somebody outside too.

Before Iggy and Danni could do anything the door in the kitchen that led to the back yard flung open.

People rushed in with sparking electric probes. Before Iggy or Danni could fight them they were shot down by tranquilizers.

The two were dragged out to a white van and tossed into the back. Beside them were Fang, Max, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel.

"What the hell is going on?" Danni slipped before she could stop herself from saying hell. To her surprise Max didn't say anything but just kept staring ahead.

Danni realized that the others had the same tranquilizer in their necks. So maybe it wasn't a tranquilizer but something else?

---Hours Later---

"What happened," Gazzy asked. He struggled with the restraints of his chair.

The flock had awoken in chairs. They were tied down by leather restraints.

The confusing part was their memory. They remembered who they actually were. The whole enchilada or so they say.

The flock had been drugged to forget the school and how they met Danni and how she became a genetic cat girl. They were given new lives, but why?

Max and Danni weren't sisters, but they were convinced that they were by the drug. What was the deal?

A metal door opened to reveal Jordan.

"I would like to thank you all. The drug worked without serious effects. By the way that couple you saw die, Max, weren't really dead. You see the town is a practice center. The subjects practice missions in order to be deployed into the field, they need training and the town provides just that."

"So we were the ones to test your new drug? We are the lab rats?" Max asked with a freezing voice.

"Well we couldn't test on animals, the results would be very difficult to understand. But the bright side is that you won't have to do this again. Now you can focus on training," Jordan said smiling unaware of the defiant looks the flock were giving him.

Danni pulled free of the leather straps, "I think not!" She pounced on Jordan and pushed him to the floor. Before his head could impact on the floor and kill him Danni stopped him. Then she punched his head down with just enough force to knock him out without causing major damage.

Danni freed Iggy first then the two of them freed the rest of the flock.

"We have to get out of here. Now." Fang said looking around for an escape.

"Wait," Angle said picking up a pair of pliers. "Sorry, Max. This is going to hurt, but you'll heal."

"What are talking about," Max asked. Angel stepped up to her.

Angel plunged the pliers into Max's arm and dug deep. The sound of tearing muscle could be heard, but with in a few seconds Angel pulled what looked like a chip out from the wound.

"Angel!" Max practically screamed, "You're a genius!"

"Thank me later," Angel said.

"Right," Max said. She moved to the vent and popped the cover off. She quickly laid a hand on the metal. It was cool to the touch. "Yes," she whispered. "Okay, everyone follow me through the rabbit hole!"

The flock did as told. They went as fast as they could with out making too much noise. Soon Max was kicking the vent cover that lead outside to the ground.

They were a few yards from the ground so Iggy took Danni into his arms when he jumped out. The flock flew first away from the damn building.

"Were too now?" Nudge asked.

"I don't know," Max confessed.

Danni thought of something, "How 'bout Australia? Or maybe Japan. Or some other place where the school won't ever think of looking? Or anyone else who want to do inhumane experiments on us."

"How about France?" Max suggested. "My skills in French are good."

"Fluent or just passing?" Fang asked.

Max sighed, "How 'bout England? You know one of those towns that are not so populated. Or maybe to an isolated cottage?"

The possibilities were endless, but the point was all the same, leave the country. As long as they stayed they were in danger. No matter how many Schools they burned they would always be chased, at least in America. If they left they had a chance at a somewhat normal life.

In the end they agreed to go to England. The language wouldn't be an issue. They were going to hide out for a while. Long enough to pick up at least a glimmer of the accent. Then they would go to one of the small towns and start working. Angel, the Gasman, and Nudge would go to school though, probably. All they knew was that it would be a new start, a new leaf.

For the first time in a long time they had hope. They had hope and knew that it wasn't going to be taken away in an instant. They were happy. They were a family. And they were together.

**The End**

* * *

**AN:** Yes, this is the end of the story. Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!

**Cool-Wolf** - Thank you for the review. And don't feel bad for revewing late at least you reviewed.


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